Therena |
”If you would be so kind as to point the way they went, we’ll be out of your hair.”
Josef Guardson |
"Yeah, I see no reason we'd want to go that way, especially not to interfere with the sahauguin deity worship or such activities."
Josef ponders the fish-man's statement a bit.
"Just how long ago did that half-dragon and his people go through? Days, weeks, months ago?"
Telman Raoul |
Ever the soldier, Telman is content to let the generals speak while he remains vigilante, looking distracted but paying attention to everything that is said. Of special interest is the phrase "god killed a few" - not sounding like idle cleric talk, that sounds like there was a big beastie nearby that these fish men worshipped. He glances from side to side looking for any clues to what they might worship.
Josef Guardson |
"Well team, what do you say? After the dragon-man and his friends, and away from this very friendly fish-person?"
Josef keeps a close eye on the sahuaguin and prepares to follow the others out of the chamber.
DM Papa.DRB |
?: 1d20 ⇒ 111d4 ⇒ 2
Moving thru the underground tunnel, you head back to the central area of these water ways(N9). Following the pathway to the east, you round a curve, and see that the water continues to the north, however there is solid ground to the east and south.
Next?
Level Map Updated
Stay in water, or explore the ground area.
Misha Keroun |
Misha suggests heading back toward the ground area.
Josef Guardson |
Shrugging, Josef follows the others.
"Seems as good as any other way for now."
Rikar Sarakin |
Rikar bows to Misha, gesturing that she lead the way, and follows close behind her.
DM Papa.DRB |
Josef: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (2) + 0 = 2
Misha: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (3) + 24 = 27 +2 Underground
Rikar: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (17) + 19 = 36 +8 Underground
Latys: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14 +8 Underground
Telman: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (11) + 15 = 26
Therena: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
?: 1d20 ⇒ 201d4 ⇒ 1
Having had enough of the water, you decide to investigate the two small land pieces of the cavern system. You leave the water and head into the southern portion(N10) and see that there is something large in this cave, something other than the walls or rocks. At first it seems like some kind of weird rock formation; then you realise it is bone – the bones of a tremendously big creature are lying in this cave…
Searching the area, Rikar is the first of many to find a small (three foot tall) standing stone marker, with symbols and runes written in Athan Secret Tongue. Josef is able to translate and it says "They Left Stones When They Died; I Do It When I Kill.".
Finding nothing else, you head to the northern section of the dry land(N15), from which you can see that the water area just ends, with nothing further of interest, however as you pass near the wall on the east side of this small cavern, all the tears that you have, excepting the ones in the handy haversack as they are in another dimension, vibrate and glow. Pulling a tear out of the pocket that it is in and holding it, it sends forth a beam of light, the same color as the tear, and lands on the eastern wall. Any tear pulled out and thus held sends forth light to the same spot. After a few moments, the wall shimmers, and even though it is still in place, the arcane casters among you sense that you can step thru into a tunnel that takes you further into the mountain.
Next?
Level Map Updated
Everyone please level up to Level 15.
Therena |
”Fascinating,” Therena says. ”As much as I need to explore this passage, and we do need to, is it likely that we will find our quarry that way, unless he too has a selection of tears?”
Misha Keroun |
"He might indeed have a selection of tears if he's gotten this far. The question is how much have we missed?"
DM Papa.DRB |
Misha Keroun |
Misha autosucceeds on the above with Loremasters, and that's not what she was asking. I think they've already discussed the dragon-pattern with the tears. Misha was asking "how much of [this area] have we missed?" I.e., wondering if they've seen everything notable in the area. Which she is truly not sure.
Misha Keroun |
Just this level
DM Papa.DRB |
Ok, down the "tear tunnel" it is....
?: 1d20 ⇒ 101d4 ⇒ 3
Using the beams of colored light emitting from each of the tears that you have, you move thru what is a thirty foot translucent wall of stone and into the tunnel proper. As the last of you finish moving thru, the wall behind you solidifies and the way behind seems to be blocked, at least for now.
It takes about two hours travel at a slight downward angle to reach what appears to be the bottom of the tunnel. It is extremely dark, and in order to see clearly you need light sources.
You arrive at a small circular courtyard, with ancient stone walls to the left and right and two wide passages leading into the darkness. Eight standing stones flank the courtyard. There are some vague carvings on the floor and the standing stones.
This seems to be the entrance to the city of Archaneroth; a 30-foot wide circular court surrounded by Morudhainstyle standing stones. The carvings on the ground are the Dragon Lord’s holy symbol. Each standing stone has some carvings, though these are surprisingly pristine and well preserved. The carvings on each standing stone are Athan solar signs and arcane symbols referring to a single hour of the day; these are respectively predawn, dawn, morning, afternoon, evening, stars, moon and deep night. Each of the stones has also a smaller bas-relief of a crying dragon; each of these dragons is depicted with a single tear falling from its eye.
Next?
Level Map Updated
Area O map in spoiler at top of page.
Misha Keroun |
Misha supplies the party with dancing lights as needed, though if she feels the need to move stealthily, she pushes them far away enough that she is in dim light rather than their full shine. She also keeps message active as they explore.
She examines the standing stones with great fascination. She pulls out her journal to look at her drawings of the visions she had seen when touching some of the tears--do these statues match or are they smaller hints of what is to come?
Therena |
Therena pulls out her giant summoning rod and Holy symbol, passes them to Josef, then casts a spell, turning herself into a small earth elemental. She takes back her Holy symbol and rod, holding them in a stony fist, as she steps into the wall and glides up it and onto the ceiling, staying mostly buried in the ceiling, save for part of a face so she can see, and the hand holding her two items.
Once up there, she casts detect magic and looks about.
Misha Keroun |
Sorry Papa another question -- the poem describes 10 dragons and we have 8 tears; missing black and white if I've tallied right. But you say there are only 8 statues here, not 10?"
Josef Guardson |
"Well, this is certainly new. I hesitate to place any of our tears on these statues, at least until we know better what that will do. We don't want to get stuck here, or summon some kind of ancient evil, or something equally bad."
Josef takes a moment to jot down some notes on the architecture and decorations, then casts detect magic and scans the area. In particular, he is interested to see if they can teleport in this area, or if that is still blocked.
1d20 + 23 ⇒ (18) + 23 = 41 Spellcraft
Misha Keroun |
"I agree. Especially when there's apparently YET ANOTHER freaking dragon thing around here somewhere that somehow we hadn't run into yet." She looks at the statues. "There's only 8 statues. I wonder if we don't need the other two. But why 8 and describe 10? Or the final dragon for that matter?" She examines the carvings for any clues. Assume Loremaster for any necessary Knowledge checks
Therena |
”Perhaps the magic that opened the tunnel could sense how many tears we have, though that would mean sensing into the extra-dimensional places, too,” earth-Therena grumbles overhead.
Misha Keroun |
"I don't think that would have affected the number of statues." Misha looks up at the oddly perky pile of dirt. "Hey, can you delve into the dais? I wonder if there's anything interesting underneath this platform."
"Anyway, once I'm satisfied poking things I shouldn't here, we can explore a bit."
Therena |
Therena slides down the wall, passes her rod and symbol to Misha, and earth glides into the dais.
Telman Raoul |
Hesitant to step on or across the holy symbol on the floor Telman circles around the room to take up a guard position trying to watch both dark passageways at once.
"Any way to tell the color of the dragons in the carvings? He asks the question without looking away from the exits. "I mean, does each tear have a proper place or do we just need eight out of the ten?"
DM Papa.DRB |
Been sick as a dog and exhausted since Wednesday. My son and I went to JFK airport (209 miles round trip) on Wednesday evening to pick up 10 puppies being flown in from Cayman Islands (he is the Adoptions Manager at the local SPCA), and didn't get home till 1:00AM, after putting them in their pods for the night. Exhausted, cold and sick for me....
And Happy St. Patrick Day. My grandsons 24 birthday.
?: 1d20 ⇒ 61d4 ⇒ 1
The tear colors, in Morhudain legend correspond to the following times of day:
Predawn – Emerald Tear
Dawn – Copper Tear
Morning – Diamond Tear
Afternoon – Sapphire Tear
Evening – Bronze Tear
Stars – Brass Tear
Moon – Silver Tear
Deep Night – Opal Tear
That leaves two tear colors unaccounted for. Also, in the post above, the stone pillars have the appropriate symbols for those times of day carved in them. You just hope that finding the last two tears will reveal any missing knowledge.
Examining the area more closely, as Therena slides into the ground, and disturbs the dust and rock grit in the area, Misha notices that there is a ninth depression that would fit a tear, as part of the Dragon Lords holy symbol on the ground.
Next?
Misha Keroun |
"Let's look around. If anything there are two more tears, they may give us further visions that complete the puzzle. Like Josef said it'd be a bad idea to trigger this before we're really ready."
Feel better, Papa!
Josef Guardson |
"Let's continue on ahead. Who knows what craziness awaits us, but there's no sense dallying further here. Onward and upward, eh?"
Josef floats alongside the team, trying to memorize the configuration of the room and any details that seem important to his magical vision.
Therena |
Therena retrieves her two items from Misha the glides up the wall and back into the ceiling.
DM Papa.DRB |
Guards (1 to 50 encounter): 1d100 ⇒ 931d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Leaving the are with the standing stone(O1), you enter what seem to be the remains of an underground city(O2); a vast expanse of ruined buildings inside a great underground cave. This must have been a great and splendorous city once; now the ‘streets’ have been dilapidated to little more than square piles of rock. Most of the buildings are still standing, but building roofs have caved in, and some walls are down. It seems the passage of time has crumbled parts of this portion of the city.
Next?
Level Map Updated
(O2) consists of all the "open" areas in the city including the streets, ie. not inside any still standing buildings.
.
NOTE: This is a five foot per square map, which is why your tokens fit into a grid square.
Rikar Sarakin |
Rikar has little to offer in interpreting the stones, but he does concur that the party should be as ready as possible before triggering anything related to the tears and another dragon. He and Latys take positions similar to Telman’s, keeping an eye on things while the others puzzle out the room.
Just had a moment and thought I’d catch up and drop in.
Telman Raoul |
Telman's eyes dart from side to side, trying to take in all the possible ambush points and hiding spots provided by the rubble. Giving up trying to count he says a quick thanks to Erastil that his bow is back in his hand. "Wonder who used to live here.......and what's living here now?"
Misha Keroun |
As they walk into the larger area, Misha addresses the ranger: "Rikar, you see signs of anyone passing through?"
Rikar Sarakin |
Rikar turns his attention to answering Misha’s question.
With Track ability and Favored Terrain, I can take 10 for a 42 on Survival.
DM Papa.DRB |
?: 1d20 ⇒ 161d4 ⇒ 1
As Rikar looks around, Latys sniffs in the air and growls slightly looking south as if something was behind the walls that block your view.
Rikar Sarakin |
Hmm, hope everyone wasn't waiting on me to post what Rikar found.
Rikar gestures to the floor and says, "See here, recent tracks, maybe a week or so old - of men walking thru the area. And...hmm, that's odd. Something like a cat, but it walked upright, like we do."
He goes quiet when Latys sniffs the air and growls. He silences the cat with a hand on her flank, then says to his companions, "There's something that way, I say we check it out."
Josef Guardson |
"Something, as in a potential threat? I imagine there's going to be little else down here, right?"
Josef grips his enchanted halberd tightly and keeps his lights moving forward.
Therena |
”Well, there’s us,” Therena says cheerfully as she follows Rikar.
Misha Keroun |
I was just waiting for someone to post
Misha nods. "Let's go."
Telman Raoul |
The hardened soldier cannot help but smile at Therena's infectious good nature.
"You saying we aren't threatening?" he quips as he nocks an arrow and follows the others.
DM Papa.DRB |
Between Holy Week, Passover, Family / Friend obligations, I have been extremely busy.
?: 1d20 ⇒ 111d4 ⇒ 2
Next?
Level Map Updated
Misha Keroun |
"We're members of the Pathfinder Society, investigating the history of the Athan people. Why are you here?"
Rikar Sarakin |
DM - any sort of knowledge checks relevant here?
DM Papa.DRB |
?: 1d20 ⇒ 161d4 ⇒ 1
"I am Sazabel, guardian of Archaneroth, appointed to this post by the gods themselves. I am to guard this entrance for anyone foolish enough to breach the seal of the tunnel and gain entrance to the city. I should just eat you, but I am bored. Entertain me and I will let you pass."
Next?